Sticker Shock
by Toboe LoneWolf
Summary: Where Twilight learns it's really important to stop reading once in a while. Really.


**A/N:** Requests were made for me to turn a real-life story into a fic. To be honest I think the original story makes more sense and is a bit funnier, but I did it anyway. With ponies. Because everything is cuter with ponies.

_My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic _(c) Hasbro

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><p><strong>Sticker Shock<strong>

As anypony would tell you, Twilight Sparkle took her studies very seriously. Every day (sometimes twice!) Twilight would dutifully write to Princess Celestia about what she had learned about friendship. More often than not, it was something Twilight had learned along the way with her friends' (mis)adventures, but every so often it would be something Twilight had proactively began.

Twilight knocked on Fluttershy's cottage door. "Hey Fluttershy!"

Three squeaks, two frantic scurries, and one bunny-kick later, Fluttershy found herself being the impromptu temporary mentor for one Twilight Sparkle on How To Make Tasty Food For Other Creatures.

(Twilight's train of logic, for those that want to know, was a combination of studying _Cooking With Friends: It's Magic!_ the previous night, Spike not wanting to cook today, a distinct lack of practice of cooking for herself due to reliance of cafeteria food when she'd resided at the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns, and a process of elimination of not wanting to bother Applejack at her work, deciding to pre-empt any gourmet complications with Rarity, knowing Rainbow Dash didn't cook either, and avoiding Pinkie Pie because…well. It's Pinkie. Twilight wasn't up to deciphering the leaps in logic with Pinkie over a recipe.)

Fluttershy timidly looked around her cottage for ideas that wouldn't have disastrous outcomes like the first time Twilight had tried helping Fluttershy during Winter Wrap-Up.

"Um, so…I was going to make some salad for some of the birds that are going to migrate soon, to build up their strength. I have the bird seed already but I need some more oranges…"

Twilight blinked. "Oranges?"

"Oh, yes! The orioles and blue jays just love them. You could help me make the salad…I mean, if that's okay with you…"

"Not a problem!"

Which lead to Fluttershy and Twilight walking down the market street of Ponyville, Twilight eagerly trotting ahead and Fluttershy walking behind at a more serene pace.

"Great! So what kind of oranges are we getting? How do we tell it's a good one? I've read all about oranges in books, but sometimes it's hard to tell the difference even with pictures." Twilight looked back and forth at all of the produce wagons lined up along the street. "Spike and I usually just pick the first ones we see but I'm sure you want the very best for your birds."

"Um, yes, I do," Fluttershy smiled, thinking of all the animals she loved to care for. "Uuum…we rotate the types of oranges sold in Ponyville, because we can't grow them here. So, um, usually I look for a sticker on the orange that says '4012' because they're large and juicy and the birds just love them."

"Oooooh, I never read about that method in any of my books!" Wide-eyed with excitement, Twilight bounded over to the first fruit cart and began examining the piles of produce for the aforementioned sticker. Fluttershy's eyes crinkled a little bit, happy to know her friend was having fun.

A few seconds later, Twilight waved frantically over towards Fluttershy. "Fluttershy! How about these?"

Fluttershy blinked, taken slightly back at Twilight's…quick enthusiasm. She trotted over towards where Twilight was happily stacking fruit on the edge of the fruit cart ledge, turning them around so the sticker all faced outward for easier reading. The fruit seller had momentarily stepped aside to deal with another customer.

Twilight waved a hoof. "Ta-da! Will these work for your birds?"

Fluttershy scraped one hoof on the ground.

"Um. Twilight?"

Twilight beamed. "Yes? I found them using this cool sorting algorithim I read two days ago! I'll need to do some more experiments to determine its efficiency but for a first run I think it's quite effective!"

"Yes, well, um…" Fluttershy lowered her head slightly. "But, Twilight? That says '4015.'"

Twilight's smile dropped and her head whipped around to examine the stickers more closely. An awkward sweatdrop formed on her face.

"Eh-heh…"

Fluttershy's bangs swept down to cover even more of her face. "Also, um…"

"Howdy! Hey Twi, hey Fluttershy! Y'all doing some shoppin'? For y'all, on the house."

Twilight's pupils shrank as she recognized Applejack's lilting voice, the farm pony coming back to her stand.

Fluttershy cringed as she finished the sentence that forever doomed Twilight in the _Grocery Shopping For Other Creatures _part of her studies.

"Also, um, that's an apple."


End file.
